Cellebrum.com Pvt. Ltd., a MCorpGlobal group company and Asia's leading integrated telecom VAS solutions provider, announced the winners of its Kaun Banega Lakhpati (KBL) contest. Cellebrum had developed this service with the aim to provide a rewarding mobile experience for subscribers of IDEA Cellular. Cellebrum distributed cash prizes worth Rs. One Lac Seventy Five Thousand (Rs.1,75,000/-) to the winners of the contest.

Mr. Ashok Kumar has won the first prize, a cash prize of Rupees One Lac (Rs.1,00,000/-). Cellebrum launched the KBL contest in association with IDEA Cellular on April 4, 2006 and concluded the contest on May 31, 2006. Winners were chosen on the basis of a lucky draw.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Savinder Sarna, Head Marketing and Business Alliance said, "Powered by Cellebrum, Kaun Banega Lakhpati was launched by IDEA Cellular for its subscribers. The contest was received with an overwhelming response with over 20,000 people zealously participating in it. KBL offered a unique opportunity for the common man to reap the benefits of value-add services offered by Cellebrum in cash."

Cellebrum also announced the names of the second and third prize winners. Mr. Virendra Singh won the second prize of Rupees Fifty Thousand (Rs. 50,000/-) while Mr. Kamal Singh won the third prize of Rupees Twenty Five Thousand (Rs. 25,000/-).

"We at Cellebrum have always prioritised on providing innovative and rewarding services to our customers and keeping them at the forefront of the revolution," Mr. Sarna added.

As per the modus operandi of the contest, participants were required to go through three rounds of quizzing, each comprising ten questions with the difficulty level rising after each level. Two life-lines were provided to them in the second and third rounds. A wrong answer at anytime during the phone call brought the score to zero. Once the participant cleared all rounds he could enter the lucky dip. Moreover, a participant could play multiple times and thereby increase his/her number of entries in the lucky dip. Thus, increasing the chances of winning.

Read from MoneyControl.com

Cellebrum.com Pvt. Ltd, Asia’s leading integrated telecom VAS solutions provider, an MCorpGlobal group company and ICE 365, mi-VAS™, UK’s premier mobile interactive community service provider have entered into an alliance to offer community VAS services to global markets. This partnership will see the emergence of India’s single largest mobile interactive VAS provider that promises to offer community VAS services on multiple platforms multi-platform viz. GPRS, USSD and IVRS.

Mr. Paul Shoker, Group Chief Executive Officer, ICE 365 Ltd., said, “ICE 365 has the privilege of partnering with Cellebrum, India’s leading telecom VAS solutions provider. We are delighted to partner with Cellebrum to tap the booming Indian telecom market and are confident that our association will provide for a one-stop solution to VAS needs of the country. Through such alliances, we hope to bring to the table much more exciting and interactive value added services which cater to the communication and entertainment needs of Indian mobile subscribers. ICE 365 and Cellebrum both share the same core values and customer satisfaction, in terms of services that will be delivered to existing and potential customers. This association is consistent with ICE 365’s strategy of developing our global footprint in growth markets, where we can create value for our stakeholders.”

Mr. Saket Agarwal, Chief Operating Officer, Cellebrum.com said, “Our association with ICE 365 is one of the key steps towards expanding our footprint enhancing our knowledge base. It is a very important milestone for us and with the support of ICE 365 we are confident of executing the strategy chalked out by us to aggressively expand globally in the areas of information, communication and entertainment. Mobile value added services are poised for rapid growth globally and we are excited to partner with UK’s premier mobile interactive community service provider, to tap the booming telecom domain across the globe.”

The association will further enhance the foothold of the two VAS providers in the booming Indian telecom market apart from augmenting presence in the global markets. Moreover, the association will offer Cellebrum with seamless access to ICE 365’s global experience in this space. Both Cellebrum and ICE 365 will share knowledge on focused parameters based on market propositions, technical and infrastructure know-how that will address GPRS and 3G applications.

Cellebrum is already operating across all bearers in mobile telecom solutions domain and is a leading global roaming services provider in India with BSNL as one of its major customers. With this partnership, ICE 365 will offer forward-looking fresh and FuncitingTM multimedia viral mobile content and applications thereby, connecting directly with the minds of consumers. This will help mobile operators and content providers identify, build, execute and manage compelling mobile interactive content for a number of mobile device viral community application solutions and address the global telecom market with local content by tapping the local cultures and audiences.

Read from Agencyfaqs.com

The two parties exchange completion documents to formally close the deal.

Thursday, June 08, 2006: New Delhi: Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) has completed the acquisition of 49 per cent stake in Spice Communications Pvt. Ltd. for a total consideration of $178.85 million. The formal exchange of documents between the two parties marked TM's entry into the Indian telecom market.

TM, which now owns 49 per cent equity stake in Spice Telecom, secured this critical deal through its international investment holding company, TM International SDN BHD. The remaining 51 per cent equity remains with the existing shareholders -- Mcorp Global Ltd. and its associates, Mcorp.

With this acquisition, Spice customers join TM's global mobile subscriber base of over 20 million. Apart from TM's operational and management experience both in Malaysia and key Asian regional markets, Spice customers stand to benefit from through the creation and innovation of new products and services, sharing of technological experience and implementation, and the leveraging of group synergies such as in global procurement.

Dilip Modi, president, Mcorp Global, said, "Today, both countries are at the forefront of the revolution in information, communication and entertainment (ICE) technologies and have much to offer each other. Together, they could become a powerful force to take Asian companies to an entirely new globally competitive level. I am confident our strategic partnership with TM will create a new synergy and help us in maximising growth in one of the world's fastest growing markets."

Dato' Abdul Wahid Omar, group CEO, TM, said, "We are bullish on India. The Indian government statistics indicate that India, is one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world and is among the top ten countries in the world in terms of the size of the telecommunications network and ranks second to China in Asia."

Read from EFYTimes

Spice Telecom is planning to extend its coverage in the two circles it already has a presence in with an investment of around $100 million per year. The company is also keen to expand beyond Punjab and Karnataka to six new circles and may soon go public.

MCorp Global President Dilip Modi said: “We are continuously looking at the option of raising additional funds. A public issue is a viable and real option. There is an opportunity for a lot of telecom service providers to be listed on the markets.”

Modi, along with Telekom Malaysia group CEO Dato Abdul Wahid Omar, said the latter’s 49 per cent acquisition in Spice Communications Pte Ltd, a flagship company of MCorp Global, has been completed with the exchange of final documents here today.

Telekom Malaysia paid $178.85 million for the acquisition. Modi added that funds for the much needed capacity expansion would start flowing in this fiscal and would continue for a couple of years.

Telekom Malaysia’s Omar said the price the company paid for the 49 per cent stake in Spice “was reasonable”.

Read from Business Standard

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 7 (UPI) -- Telekom Malaysia has formally acquired its 49-percent share of Spice Telecom, one of India's leading wireless communications companies.

The $179 million acquisition gives Telekom a solid presence in the booming India telecom market as part of a provider with some 2 million subscribers in the states of Punjab and Karnataka.

Telekom officials said at this week's signing ceremony in New Delhi that the company was excited about being involved in one of the fastest-growing telecom markets in the world.

A joint statement from Telekom and majority partner MCorp Global vowed to make Spice a market leader "in the geographies it operates in," the Bernama news agency said.

Read from United Press International

NEW DELHI, June 7 (Bernama) -- Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), Wednesday solemnised the acquisition of 49 percent stake in Spice Communications Pte Ltd (Spice Telecom) of India, a flagship company of MCorp Global with the exchange of the final documents, here Wednesday.

TM paid US$178.85 million for the acquisition.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who is currently heading a trade delegation to India witnessed the event held at a hotel here.

TM was represented by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar while MCorp by its chairman Dr B.K. Modi.

Spice Telecom is considered one of the best service providers of mobile telephone services in India and is currently operating cellular phone services in Punjab and Karnataka states.

Launched more than nine years ago, Spice Telecom's cellular services have a customer base of two million in Punjab and Karnataka.

MCorp Global meanwhile is a pioneer in India's mobile telephones services and also has interests in its information, communications and entertainment sectors.

Meanwhile, the remaining 51 percent equity in Spice Telekom will be held by the existing shareholders, the MCorp Global Ltd and its associates.

In a press statement released during the event, Abdul Wahid said that TM and its partner MCorp will "seek to grow Spice Telecom to be a market leader in the geographies it operates in."

Read from BERNAMA.COM

Telekom Malaysia is considering an initial public offering, IPO, of India's Spice Communications, in which it owns a 49% stake, the chief executive of the Malaysian mobile phone operator, Telekom Malaysia Bhd., said on Wednesday, reports Dow Jones Newswires.

"When we look at the expansion plans of Spice, we look at options to fund the expansion," Abdul Wahid Omar told reporters. "Apart from entering the debt market, one of the options will be to tap funds from the equity market."

Spice Communications is one of the major mobile phone service providers in the states of Punjab and Karnataka in India. Spice Telecom, the brand name of Spice Communications, is a flagship company of MCorp, a pioneer in introducing mobile telephone services to India. Spice Communications is currently in the process of obtaining licenses to provide mobile services in six new areas, as well as National Long Distance and International Long Distance licences.

Telekom Malaysia, TM, is one of the largest listed companies on Bursa Malaysia and offers a broad variety of communication services and solutions for fixed-line, mobile, data and broadband. Through TM International, TM currently operates and invests in a number of countries around Asia and worldwide including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore.

Read from MoneyControl.com

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Mobile phone operator Spice Communications Ltd. plans to expand its services beyond the two states where it currently operates, a company official said on Wednesday.

Spice operates in Punjab and Karnataka and had a user base of over 2 million in April, according to data released on Wednesday by the Cellular Operators Association of India.

"We are looking beyond Punjab and Karnataka. We won't let go any opportunity," said Dilip Modi, president of MCorpGlobal, which has a 51 percent stake in Spice. Options were open for both organic and inorganic growth, he added.

Modi said the firm does not have any immediate plans to tap the equity markets as the Indian stock market was currently on a downward slide.

Malaysia's state-run Telekom Malaysia holds a 49 percent stake in Spice.

Read from Reuters

Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar (left) shaking hands with Dilip Modi. Datuk Seri Najib Razak (2nd from left) and representatives from the Indian Business Council and Confederation of Indian Industry witness the event.

PETALING JAYA: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has finalised the purchase of a 49% stake in India's Spice Communications Pte Ltd with the exchange of documents in New Delhi yesterday.

The exchange of documents between TM group chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar and Mcorp Global Ltd president Dilip Modi was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In a statement, Abdul Wahid said that organic growth was a key approach for creating shareholder value in Spice.

“We are bullish on India. The government statistics indicate that India, one of the fastest growing telecoms markets in the world, is among the top 10 countries in terms of the size of its telecommunications network and ranks second to China in Asia.

“The mobile subscriber base (in India) increased from 6.5 million in 2002 to around 80 million in January 2006, a compounded annual growth rate of 109%. TM wants to be part of that growth,” he said.

TM bought the Spice stake for US$178.85mil. Mcorp Global and its associates own the other 51%.

Spice operates in Karnataka and Punjab states, which have a combined population of some 79 million. Spice has some two million subscribers in those states.

Read from The Star

TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM) has formalised its acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in Spice Communications Private Ltd of India.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is heading a trade delegation to India, witnessed the exchange of documents here yesterday.

TM was represented by its group chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar, and Mcorp Global Ltd by its chairman Dr B.K. Modi. The signing marks TM’s entry into the lucrative Indian telecommunications market.

The acquisition was for a total of US$178.85 million (RM653 million). The remaining 51 per cent equity remains with the existing shareholders, Mcorp Global and its associates.

Wahid described organic growth as the key approach for creating shareholder value in Spice.

“TM and Mcorp will seek to grow Spice to be a market leader in the geographies it operates in.

“We are bullish in India. The Indian government statistics indicate that India, one of the fastest-growing telecommunications markets in the world, is among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of the size of its telecommunications network and ranks second to China in Asia.

“The mobile subscriber base increased from 6.5 million in 2002 to 80 million early this year, and TM wants to be part of that growth,” he said.

Spice, considered one of the best service providers of mobile telephony in India, operates in the states of Karnataka and Punjab, which have a combined population of 79 million people.

Currently, Spice has some two million subscribers.

Read from Business Times

NEW DELHI: Spice Communications, a 51:49 JV between the BK Modi group and Telekom Malaysia (TM), plans to expand its operations beyond Punjab and Karnataka to six more states. It plans to invest about $100m during the current financial year in its existing operations in Punjab and Karnataka.

Spice is also exploring the possibility of taking the IPO route to raise funds from the market, said Dato’ Abdul Wahid Omar, group chief executive officer of TM. “Our first priority is to strengthen our operations in Punjab and Karnataka, which have a combined population of 80m,” said Mr Omar.

“We would like to provide services in six more circles. However, availability of licences depends on the availability of spectrum,” said Dilip Modi, president of MCorpGlobal. The company has applied to the department of telecommunications for licences to provide cellular mobile services in these states. With the entry of TM, Spice has the necessary capital to make the company grow, said Mr Modi.

The company has also applied to the DoT for licences to provide international long distance (ILD) and national long distance (NLD) services. “However, the rates for long distance services have come down drastically in last few months. Therefore, we are reformulating the whole strategy again,” said Mr Modi.

Spice will also explore possibility of coming out with an IPO. “We are looking at the possibility of raising funds through IPO route. Presently, not many telecom companies are listed on the stock markets. There is a demand for good telecom stocks. It also depends on the markets,” said Mr Modi. He also said that the final decision in this regard would be taken by the board.

Mr Omar said India has one of the lowest average revenue per user (ARPU) in the world. However, by introducing more value added services ARPUs can be improved in India, he said. In TM, value added services contribute about 17% of the total revenue. But in India, only 12% of the total revenue comes from value added services.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com